Solar-powered coffee cart opens at CU-Boulder

On the first day of classes at the University of Colorado, CU senior Nick Ackermann was pedaling a heavier load on campus than most students on bikes. His ride weighed in at about 300 pounds.

But Ackermann, an employee of the UMC, was at work. He was pedaling milk, coffee and baked goods on a new, $23,000, solar-powered coffee cart around to the front side of the UMC Monday morning, where he then peddled muffins, fruit and cups of coffee to fellow students.

“It was not light,” Ackermann said. “I don’t think just anyone could ride it around campus, but I think I’m in pretty good shape, so it wasn’t too bad.”

The new cart was custom-built by Boulder company BikeCaffe, a coffee franchise that typically serves Italian espresso from bike-operated coffee carts, and is powered by solar panels on the roof of the mobile cart, said Robin Margolin, director of Food Services for the UMC… Read more